Table concentrator



Aug. 19 1924. 1,505,734-

A. H. STEBEINS TABLE CONGENTRATOR Filed April 12, 1922 5 sheets-sheet 1 new" H Inventr' Aug. 19 1924.

A. H. STEBBINS TABLE CONCENTRATOR Filed April 12, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Hui. W G A 0 1 v; Q ,0 w Q TABLE CONCENTRATOR Filed April 12 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 0 01: MP1; g Y.':, 2 b m -1 11 54 Imago A. H. STEBBINS TABLE CONCENTRATOR File April 12, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lNl/ENTOR. WJ

BX w ATTORNEY Patented Aug; 1924?. i

- KEE- STATES ALBERT s'rmnms, or LOS enemas, canm'oanra.

' TABLE ooivon'nm'ron.

Application filed April 12, 1922. Serial No. 551,935.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, Arnnnr a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented an Tm rovement in Table Concentrators, of l which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to concentrators of I the table type for the separation of ores and other materials in accordance with their differences in specific ravity.

Most metals or va ues have a higher specific gravit than the accompanying impurities, and t e values are commonly distributed throughout a relatively large amount of impurities or foreign matter so that it is 0 usually necessary to treat a large amount of material as compared with the amount of values obtained therefrom} The ores to be treated may vary in size from a fine pulverized material to large lumps or rocks, and in ore treating mills the ore is commonly brought to the mill in cars and is discharged therefrom upon a series of strong inclined bars supported in spaced relation to form what is known as a grizzly.

Thefiner materials pass between the bars of the grizzly while the rocks and large lumps pass over the surface of the grizzly and are delivered to a, crusher. The materials reduced by the crusher and those. which pass through the grizzly are delivered to a screen,

and such materials as pass through the screen may be subjected to the first concentration treatment while the larger particles are recru'shed.

It is desirable to remove the concentrates or values in as largelumps or particles as is practical, because in each crushing operation some values may be reduced to such a fine state thatthey cannot. be recovered. The materials therefore are commonly subjected to the first concentration treatment while the particles are relatively large in size that some of the values or concentrates may be removed at this stage. Other values may not be released from the larger lumps of foreign matter at this stage and these lumps are therefore recrushed to release the values they contain, after which they are subjected to a second concentration operation. The

H. STEBBINB,

materials may 'be successively crushed, screened and treated by concentrators to remove at diiferent stages the values released asthe materials are reduced in size, and the .taihngs that are separated from the values in each concentrating operation may be subjected to further treatment.

The concentrator'of the present invention is designed more particularly to concentrate the materials at one or more of the stages of ore treatment above mentioned, and the present concentrator is provided with a deck having riflies arranged thereupon so' that as the materials pass along the deck the concentrates or values will be deflected in one direction by the riflles while the lighter par ticles or tailings will move in a difierent direction.

surface may be produced by movement imparted to the deck; by sloping thedeck; and by the use of air. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the materials are advanced longitudinally of the deck by a back and forth movement imparted thereto, and their advancement alon the deck is facilitated by the passage of air upwardly through the deck and materials. The passage of air upwardly through the materials serves also to promote stratification of the materials, as the lighter particles are lifted by the air while the heavier particles work downward.

As the materials travel along the deck of the present invention a, generalfor preliminary Stratification is quickly accomplished by the air, and this causes the lighterparticl'es or tailings to rise suficiently to pass over the rifles upon the deck, while the heavier particles will fail to clear these rifles. Movement of the lighter materials trans versely of the deck is produced by inclining the deck transversely and this causes the lighter particles to move'toward the lower side of the deck while the heavier particles or concentrates are prevented by the "rifles from movin similarly.

Having t e above matter in mind, important features of the present invention reside in an improved deck construction; in the disposition of the rifies relative to the direction in which the materials are advanced along the deck; in novel means for actuating the deck to advance materials along the same; in a novel construction for Movement of the materials over the deck delivering-air to the apertures of the deck and for removing air from above the deck; and in adjustable means for directing the materials discharged from an end of the deck into different receptacles.

Other features of the invention and novel combination of parts in addition to the above will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawing" which illustrate one good practical form thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a concentrator constructed in accordance with the present invention, a part of the deck cover being broken away Y Fig. 2 isan enlarged perspective view of receptacles mounted at the delivery end of the deck;

Fig. 3 is asectional View taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View through a casing containing mechanism for imparting movement to the deck;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of Fig. 4 showing the casing out upon the limb-5;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a rocking frame to be described; I

F ig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the deck;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the deck supporting casing, the cover and deck surface being removed Fig. 9 is a side elevation of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the deck casing of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the deck sup-' porting carriage;

Fig. 12 is'a plan view of the deck with the cover removed;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12 but shows the feed hopper in a different position; and

Fig. 14 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through one of the surface channels of which the deck surface is formed.

, In the drawings, the concentrator table is shown as consisting of a'supporting frame 10 having a carriage 11- movably supported thereupon, and upon the carriage 11 ris mounted the deck casing 12 having the cover 13.

The supporting frame 10 may be constructed of upper and lower angle beams 14 and 15 connected by angle irons as shown to form a rectangular frame'of hollow construction. The carriage '11 may be variously mounted upon the frame 10, and in the construction shown, rocking frames 16 and 17 are provided, pivoted intermediate their ends to the frame 10 and connected at their up er ends to the carriage 11. The frame 16 as a downwardly extending central lever 18, and short levers 19 upon each side thereof. These levers have shafts 20, 21 and 22 extending through them and rigidly secured thereto to form a rigid rocking frame, and

' ating means, to be described, is connected to but one of the rocking frames, namely the frame 16, and this frame is therefore provided with the central lever 18 which is omitted from the other rocking frame 17. The frame 17 may consist of side levers 26 and 27 rigidly connected by cross bars 28 and 29, and having the shafts 30 and 31 extending therethrough. The ends of the shaft 30 are mounted in bearings 32 uponthe frame 10 and the ends of shaft 31 are mounted the bearings 33 secured to the carriage 11.

The carriage 11 may have the configuration shown in Fig. 11 and may be constructed of angle irons consisting of side anglebeams 34 connected by transverse angle bars 35, and a. beam 36 is secured to the frame to extend from one side beam 34 in an inclined direction toward the other side beam as shown. The side beam 34 opposite the inclined beam 36 has a plurality of hinges 37 secured thereto to adjustably connect one side of the deck casing 12 to the carriage so that the deck casing may be adjusted transversely to different angles relative to the carriage 11.

The deck casing 12 preferably has an elongated, construction and tapers in width from one end toward the other as best shown in Fig. 8. The casing 12 has a hollow construction and is formed of a number of transversely extending frames 38 each having the configuration shown in Fig. 10, and these frames 38 are secured in spaced relation transversely of therasing by the longitudinally extending angle beams 39. Each frame 38 may consist of a lower bar 40 havmg side bars .41 extending upwardly from the ends thereof, and the upper ends of the side bars 41 may be bent inwardly as at 42. Above the lower bars 40 of the deck are provided the channel or bridge bars 43 extending from one side of the deck-to the other. These bars 43 serve to support the deck surface, and a comparatively large airchamber is provided below the deck surface throughout its length. To this end the deck casing 12 has a sheet metal floor 44 extending lengthwise thereof over the lower bars 40 and has sheet metal sides 45 secured to the side bars 41.

It may be desirable to support'the deck casing 12at different transverse angles upon the carriage 11, and to this end, the lower side of the deck casing is secured to the momaa carriage by the hinges 37, and the upper side of the deck casing is supported in spaced relation to the carriage by the threaded rods 46. The upper ends of, the. 5 rods 46 may be bent as shown in Fig.3 to

extend through ears 47 upon thecasing 12 and the threaded portions of these reds extend-through apertures 47 in the beam 36 and in ears 48. Nuts 49 and 50 upon the no ads 46 serve to raise or lower the upper do of the deck frame.

The deck should serve to separate the light materials from the heavy materials and to impart a dilferent movement to the heavy materials or values from that which is imparted to the light materials or tailings. 1n the present construction the deck surface is formed entirely of relatively small surface channels 51 which are substantially 2o U-shaped in crossPsection-and are secured side by side to .the channel bars 43 as best shown in Figs. 7 and 14. The surface channels 51 maybe formed of sheet nietal having the sides bent up so that the individual sur- 2 face channels are trough-shaped, and the upstanding sides. of adpacent surface channels'51 form the rifiles 52. Each channel is provided with apertures 53 for the passage of air upwardly therethrough, and the apertures have upwardly inclined lips 54 formed by bending the metal at one side of an aperture upwardly to vary the size of the aperture and to direct the air passing therethrough.

The channels 51 preferably are arranged diagonally of the deck casing and their ends terminate adjacent the upper side of the casing as best shown in Fi 12. The materials, to be treated are elivered to the so deck. at one end thereof and advance toward.

theopposite end of the deck, and the deck is preferably wider at its receiving end than atthe delivery end as shown, so that the materials may rapidly spread out over the deck at the receiving end thereof. The materials are conveniently delivered to the deck by'a hopper 55 which ma be secured at one side of the deckas in ig. 12, or at an end thereof as in Fig. 13, in either case the soshopper may have an adjustable gate 56 forcontrolling the flow of materials therefrom.

It is desirable to establish a substantiall uniform air ressure below the entire dec surface so t at theair currents passing 55 through the aperture 53 of different surface channels will have practically the same force. To this end a wide hood 57 (see Fig. 1) is provided at thereceiving end of the deck casingto deliver air to the ehamber below'the deck. The air may be supplied to Q the hood 57 under pressure 'by a fan 58 mounted upon the supporting frame .10, and since the deck casing 12 moves relative- 1y to, the frame 10 a flexible connection 59 is provided between the fan and hood 57.

ing sides 61.

Partitions 60 preferably are provided within the air chamber extending lengthwise thereof to prevent air from flowing laterally from one side of the chamber to the other, and these-partitions .serve also to support the transverse channel bars 43.

, The cover 13 preferably extends over the entire deck and serves to prevent the escape of dust from the machine. It is supported in spaced relation to the deck by the u right bars 41 and has downwardly extens- The upper side of the deck casing has a wall 62 extending up under the cover, and the lower side of this casing has a wall 63 extending from one end thereof to the point where the riflies commence. The air under the cover 13 preferably is removed by'suction means, and to this end a hood 64 is formedupon the cover and has a conduit 65 thatmay be connected to a suction fan or other exhaust means.

and lead into the hood, the construction be-' ing such that the air' is drawn substantially uniformly from above different parts of the deck.

As stated, it is desirable to impart movement to the deck which will serve to ad'- vance the materials longitudinally thereof.

This may be accomplished by various means, and in the construction shown, mechanism is provided for positively moving the rocking frame 16 and deck in one direction and then yieldingly moving them in the opposite direction. The movement provided n the present case serves to impart an accel-' erated movement to the deck in one direction and to reverse quickly the direction in which the deck moves so that the momentum imparted to the materials upon the deck will cause them to slide along its surface each time the direction of movement of the deck is reversed quickly.

Slots 66 preferably are formed through the cover In the construction shown .the central lever 18 ofthe-rocking frame 16 has one end of alink 67 secured thereto by a pin 68 and the opposite end of this link is secured byv a pin 69 to an operating lever 70. The lever 70 may be housed in a casing 71 and is swingingly sup ortedfby a shaft 72 mounted in bearings 73. The lever 70 is positively rocked in one direction by an cecentric 74 upon a shaft-75 and this shaft may be driven by' a pulley 76. The lever 70 preferably has a concaved surface 77 that.

rests against the'eccentric 74 and partly embraces the eccentric, and the arrangement is such that as the eccentric rotates in the quickly reverses its rocking movementw This reverses quickly the movement imparted to the deck, and as a result the mothe eccentric 74, and springs 80 connected to the arms 25 of the rocking frame 16 serve to rock this frame to move the deck to the right as the'eccentric 74 rotates away from the lever 7 O. Springs 81 connected to the brace 28 of the rocking frame 17 as' sist in imparting to the deck the movement just mentioned. The movement imparted to the carriage and deck may be varied by connecting the link 67 with the lever 18 at different points by inserting the pin 68 in the different holes 82.

The movement imparted to the deck serves to advance the materials lengthwise thereof, andtheir travel over the deck is promotedby the air passing upwardly through the deck, since the air lifts the particles and this enables them to move along the deck more rapidly. The-rate at which the materials travel over the deck will vary with the strength or volume of air used, and it is therefore desirable to increase the supply of air at the receiving end of the deck so u that the materials will be spread out rapidly over'the width of the deck at this end.

The volume of air is increased as desired by bending the lips 54 of the aperture 53 to vary the size of the openings, and since air is introduced into the chamber at this end thereof the pressure will be somewhat greater at this end.

The rifles 52 preferably extend diagonally across the dec'k'at anangle to the direction in which the materials are. advanced by the 'table' movement, this arrangement.

causes the heavier materials to travel along the rifles toward the upper side of the deck. As the heavier materials deflected by the rifles reach the. ends ."thereof they meet the concentrate wall 82. This wall preferably is provided with thebufi'er blocks ,83 which check the movement of the materials lengthwise of the wall and causes them-to move .laterally of the deck over one or more rifles and travel along the same for further Stratification. v

In the present device the materials delivered-to the deck will receive a preliminary stratification as they spread out over 1 the deck due to the disposition of the rifles and the action of the air. This will cause the lighter materials to move upwardly of the deck toward the lower side thereo above the heavier materials whereupon they will pass over the rifles and move laterall continued until the values have traveled the entire length of the deck, or they maybe drawn off at intervals as desired.

It is often desirable to direct the values discharged from the delivery end' of the deck into different receptacles and to this end a plurality of receptacles 84 areprovided to receive these materials. The proportion of materials that enter any one re-.

ceptacle may be varied by providing walls 85 pivoted at 86 between the receptacles, and adjustable as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to vary the opening of a receptacle.

The lighter materials or tailings that pass over the rifles and movedaterally of the deck, due to its inclination, may escape through the openings 87 preferably closed by swinging doors 88. As the tailings pass through the openings 87 they slide along the inclined surface 89 -(see Fig. 3) and fall into a container 90. Canvas covers 91 and 92 preferably are provided extending from the deck casing to the container to prevent the escapage of dust. It is found undesirable to provide rifles at the lower side of the deckeasing 12 at the wide end thereof and an inclined plate 93 is therefore provided to exclude materials from this portion of the casing. The fan 58 may be driven by a belt 94 passing around the pulley 95 upon the eccentric shaft 75.

It is found necessary to eliminate as far as possible any local vibrations thatmay be set up in the deck, as such vibrations seriously interfere with the proper operation of the machine. A deck having its.

surface constructedbntifely of rifles as in the present case will be free from local vibration and will operate in a highly eflcient manner. The lips 54 preferably extend diagonally between the rifles 52 as shown and should direct the air currents to ward the high side of the deck rather than toward the low side. a

A concentrator constructed in accordance with the present invention is automatic in operation, requires but a minimum amount of attention, and is practically free from escaping dust. I 1

What is claimed is:

1. A concentrator, comprising a deck having spaced transversely extending channel bars adapted to'support thematerialsup porting surface of the deck, and a composite deck surface upon said channel bars and formed of a multiplicity of apertured sura material supporting deck surface which .will remain free from local vibrations during the operationof the deck.

2. A concentrator, comprising ingspaced transversely exten a deck hav ing channel bars adapted to support the material supporting surface of the deck, a composite deck surface upon said bars and formed of a multiplicity of apertured surface channels trough-shaped in cross-section and secured side by side upon the channel bars to form a material supporting deck surface which will remain free from local vibrations during the operation of the deck,

and spaced partitions extending longitudinally of the deck below the channel bars to support these bars and adapted to form "longitudinally extending air chambers below the deck surface.

4. A concentrator, comprising a deck hav ing space channel bars for supporting the material carrying surface of the deck, a composite deck surface upon'said bars and formed of a multiplicity of apertured' surface channels trough-shaped in crosssection and secured side by side upon the channel bars to [form a material supporting surface which will remain free from local vibrations durin the operation of the deck, and an inclined %ip at each aperture to direct air'passing therethrough.

' 5. 'A concentrator comprising a deck hav-' ing spaced channel bars forsupporting' the material carrying surface of the deck, a

composite deck surface upon said bars and formed of a multiplicity of apertured surface channels trough-shaped in cross-section and secured side by side upon the channel bars, to forni a material supporting surface which will remain free from local vibrations during the operation of the deck, and

inclined lips at the apertures to deflect materials from the apertures:

'6. concentrator table comprising, in comblnatlon, a support-in frame having a deck mounted thereupon or movement back and. forth, means for, supporting the deck at a transverse inclination, means for delivering materials to be treated to the deck, rifles extending diagonally across the deck toward the upper side thereof, a cover for said deck having openin along the; lower side of the deck for the dlschargeof lighter materials, means for actuating the deck to move the materials longitudinally thereof,

and a flexible cover extending over said dis gharge openings to prevent the escape of net. Y

7. A concentrator "table comprising; in

combination, a deck, means for imparting movement to the deck to advance materials longitudinally thereof, means for passing air upwardly through the deck, riflles extending over the deck surface, a covenfor said deck having perforations formed through a substantial portion thereof, and a hood mount- I ed upon the cover over said perforations to form a chamber for receiving air from, the space between the deck and cover and for delivering the air to a conduit. 4

8. A concentrator table comprising in combination, a supporting frame, rocking arms pivotally mounted upon the frame to swing in a vertical plane, a concentrating deck supported by said arms, an'operating lever having a concave surface and connected to one pair of said arms to rock them f and thereby impart movement to the deck, and an eccentric mountedto rotate 1n con- 85 tending longitudinally Within said air chamv I her to divide it into separate longitudinally extending compartmentsand adapted to support said deck surface and to'prevent the air below the deck from flowing laterally from one portion of the deck to another.

1 10. A concentrator table comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, a deck supported by. the frame for movement back and forth in the direction of its length, and means for imparting a rapid vibratory movement to the deck which is more energetic in one direction than the other to promote Stratification ofvthe materials and advance them along the deck, including, a rockin arm supported by the frame and connecte to the deck, a rotatingshaft having an eccentric that is supported and rotated by the near the eccentric and having a ooncaved surface that engages and partly embraces the eccentric so that thle eccentric moves along the concave surface relative to the lever pivot asit rotates to vary the movement imparted to the lever, and a connection between said lever and arm to impart the movement of thllever to the deck and move the latter more rapidly in one direction than the other.

11. A concentrator table comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, a deck supported by the frame for movement back and forth in the direction of its length, and means for imparting a rapid shaft, an operating lever pivotally mounted vibratory 1 movement to the deck which is more energetic in one direction than the other to promote Stratification of the materials and advance them along the deck, including a rotating shaft having an eccentric that is supported and rotated by the shaft, an operating lever pivotally mounted near the eccentric and having a concave surface that \cngages and partly embraces the eccentric 10 so that the eccentric moves along the concave more rapidly in one direction than the other.

12. A concentrator table comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, rocking levers connected by transversely extending bars to form strong rocking frames for Y .20 supporting a deck, a shaft for pivota]ly securmg an intermediate portion of a rocking frame to thesupporting frame, a deck supported by the portion of the rocking frame above said shaft, anddneans connected to the lower end of one of said frames to rock it and impart 'a vibratory movement to the deck which is more energetic in one direction than the other to promote stratification of the materials and advance them along the deck, including a rotating shaft having an eccentric that is supported and rotated by the shaft, an operating leverconnected to said rocking frame and pivotally mounted near the eccentric and having a surface that engages the eccentric and along which the eccentric moves as it rotates to act upon'the lever at different distances from the lever .pivot to'vary the movement'of the lever and move the deck more rapidly in one direction than the other.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

' ALBERT H. STEBBINS. 

